Search Results for “plastic” – Page 2

Friday, April 19, 2024

Surviving in the age of microplastics: the tale of a curious shrimp

September 13, 2019September 13, 2019 Lindsay Green-Gavrielidis 0 Comments crustaceans, evolution, microfibers, microplastics, Pollution

Each year, a tremendous amount of plastic waste enters the marine environment. As plastic ages, it breaks down in to smaller and smaller pieces, called microplastics, but never degrades. These tiny plastic fibers are eaten by numerous organisms and can cause organ damage or even death. But one species is able to rid its stomach of accidentally ingested microplastics. This is the tale of the Atlantic ditch shrimp and how it will survive in the age of microplastics.

Environmental Science

The Fabric Cycle: Generating Microplastics from our Laundry

July 9, 2019July 12, 2019 Mary Davis 0 Comments laundry, microfibers, microplastics, oceanplastics, plasticpollution, whatsinmywash

Tons of microplastics are entering the oceans each year in the form of microfibers from laundering textiles. Recent research shows fabric type and washing settings can influence the amount of microfibers released into the environment from your home laundry. Read more to find out how you can reduce your footprint.

Environmental Science

Sea (Plastic) Levels are Rising!

June 5, 2019June 6, 2019 Mary Davis 0 Comments litter, macroplastics, microplastics, Ocean, plasticpollution

One scientist’s problem is another scientist’s data. In a recent study, scientists use malfunctions of a plankton-measuring device to provide evidence of growing levels of plastic in the Northern Atlantic Ocean.

Environmental Science

Microplastics: Smells like dinner

May 27, 2019September 18, 2022 Kari St. Laurent 0 Comments copepods, dimethyl sulfide, microplastics

Microplastic pollution is a trending concern as these tiny plastic pieces can end up dinner for small ocean critters such as copepods. Copepods are tiny, cosmopolitan marine creatures that are a vital food source for fish, birds, and many more. In the vast ocean, many copepods find their food, algae, by scent, as some algae give off a sulfur smell from the compound dimethyl sulfide. This study set out to test if copepods would be more likely to eat microplastics that were infused with this sulfur-scented compound.

Español

Los microplásticos vuelan con los mosquitos, ¿como mueven a los contaminantes microscópicos del agua a la tierra?

May 14, 2019September 19, 2022 Maria Loza 0 Comments agua, cadena alimenticia, ciencias ambientales, contaminación, contaminación por plásticos, ecología, larvas de mosquito, microplásticos, Mosquitos

Artículo escrito por Kara Cromwell publicado el 23 de abril del 2019. Artículo traducido al español por María Loza Correa

Environmental Science Remediation

What can sea turtles tell us about the plastics in our oceans?

April 25, 2019September 16, 2022 Mary Davis 0 Comments microplastics, plastic, plastic ocean pollution, plastic pollution, recycling, turtles, wildlife impacts

Some of our best insight into the types of plastic litter in the ocean comes from examining what is ingested by sea turtles. Recent research looks at how the composition of plastic waste changes with ocean depth, as informed by the eating patterns of sea turtles.

Environmental Science

Microplastics take flight—how mosquitoes move microscopic pollutants from water to land

April 23, 2019September 16, 2022 Kara Cromwell 0 Comments Ecology, environmental health, plastic pollution, Pollution, water

Discarded plastics aren’t only disrupting the ocean, they accumulate in freshwaters too. And the impacts may not end there. Aquatic insects eat microplastics and, when they become adults, carry the polluting particles from water onto land and potentially into the stomachs of their predators.

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El método de eliminación importa: la verdad detrás de los plásticos biodegradables

April 16, 2019September 16, 2022 Maria Loza 0 Comments compostaje, contaminación por plásticos, desperdicios, plásticos, plásticos biodegradables, polímeros, reciclaje

Artículo escrito por Mary Davis marzo 13, 2019. Artículo traducido por Maria Loza Artículo científico original: Tanja Narancic, Steven Verstichel,

Environmental Science

Pollution to Solution: Can We Get Rid of Plastics in Our Oceans?

April 3, 2019April 5, 2019 Jessica Espinosa 0 Comments coastal environments, Conservation, environmental policy, international agreements, marine plastic pollution, ocean health, Sustainability

The issue of marine plastic pollution has become a pressing, global concern. A few organizations have been created over the past few decades that have tried to address the threat of marine pollution, but none have been solely dedicated to the issue. This has led to a lack of dedication towards the issue at the international scale, and only recently have increased measures been taken to address marine plastic pollution. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was created by world leaders in 2015, and since then a number of conferences and independent initiatives have taken place across the globe to promote ocean health. Gatherings like the United Nation’s Oceans Conference and statewide bans on plastic bags can provide the groundwork to evolve these agreements and engage governments and communities to work to reduce marine plastic pollution.

Environmental Science

New on the menu – plastics for microbes

March 20, 2019September 12, 2022 Kari St. Laurent 0 Comments dissolved organic carbon, marine microbes, plastics

There are trillions of pieces of plastic floating across the ocean’s surface. Once plastics enter the ocean, they can release dissolved organic carbon, which is a food source for marine microbes. This study estimated that about 60% of that released dissolved organic carbon is available as an edible food source to marine microbes and can help stimulate growth at the base of the marine food web. As plastic pollution increases, more dissolved organic carbon may be released, having unknown effects on marine microbes.